Ball State University
Central Michigan University (Think Pink Night)
Women's Basketball Faces Central Michigan at Home Wednesday for Annual "Think Pink" Game
February 20, 2024 | Women's Basketball
Ball State (22-3, 11-1) vs. Central Michigan (5-17, 3-9 MAC) | Think Pink Night | #Play4Kay
February 19, 2024 >> Worthen Arena>>Muncie, Ind.>>Â 6:30 pm ET
Opening Tip:
- The Ball State women's basketball team will play in a nationally televised regular season game on Wednesday, March 6, at 5 p.m. ET when it takes on Kent State at the M.A.C Center. The Cardinals are the only league school to have been chosen to play on ESPNU two years in row. The contest will be a rematch of a game played on Jan. 31, with the Cardinals defeating the Golden Flashes, 57-46, in Worthen Arena.Â
- Ball State overcame a 17-point deficit Saturday afternoon against Ohio at the Convocation Center after outscoring the Bobcats 44-20 in the second half of play. The Cardinals went on to win the ball game 75-60 while also sealing its fate in the upcoming 2024 Mid-American Conference Tournament (March 13-16). This is the ninth time in current head coach Brady Sallee's tenure the Cardinals have punched their ticket straight to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland.
 - The Cardinals have held a halftime lead in eight of their 11 Mid-American Conference games so far this season. Ball State is 9-1 in those contests.Â
- For the seventh time under 12th-year head coach Brady Sallee and the second season in a row, the Cardinals have reached the 20-win plateau. Sallee's 20-win seasons at Ball State are — 22-10 (2015-16), 21-11 (2016-17) 25-7 (2017-18), 21-10 (2019-20), 20-13 (2021-22), 26-9 (2022-23) and 22-3 (2023-24).
- With only seven Mid-American Conference games left, Ball State still sits atop of the league standings with a 11-1 mark. The Cardinals and the Rockets are knotted with the same league record but right now Ball State wins the tiebreaker since the Cardinals defeated Toledo, 65-51, on Jan. 21 in Worthen Arena. The two teams will face each other again on Feb. 24 at 2 pm ET in John F. Savage Arena.
-Â Wednesday's game against Central Michigan will mark the 88th time the teams have met, with the Chippewas leading the all-time series record, 44-43. The Cardinals have won six of their last seven meetings against the Chippewas including a 79-47 victory at CMU in their first meeting this season on Jan. 17.
Amongst the Elite:
The Cardinals are getting noticed on a national level as Ball State continues to receive votes in the latest USA Today Sports Coaches Poll. Ball State is currently one of 15 NCAA DI teams that have a 11-1 record in conference play. The Cardinals are also one of 12 NCAA DI teams that have only three losses so far this season. Two of the Cardinals losses this season came against national powerhouses No. 19 Notre Dame and No. 10 UConn. Ball State is the only MAC school to receive votes so far this season. Ball State also has the highest win percentage out of any NCAA DI program in the state of Indiana 22-3 (.880). This is the fifth week in a row the Cardinals have received votes.
1000+ PTS & 500+ Rebounds:
Annie Rauch currently ranks 23rd all-time in rebounds with 522Â and needs just 38 points to reach the 1,000 point plateau making her only the 18th player in program history to have 1,000 points and over 500 rebounds. Becki was the 17th player to accomplish the goal recently. Becki also ranks 24th all-time in rebounds with 508 and Marie Kiefer sits at 25th with 506.
Game Day Tidbits:
- In 26 contests as a Cardinal, Nyla Hampton has stolen the ball 84 times and has dished out 125 assists. Hampton stole the ball eight times against Tennessee Tech (11/6/23) and Northern Illinois (2/7/24. Hampton is fourth in the nation in total steals (85) and ranks fifth in steals per game (3.36).
- The Cardinals as a team rank in the top 100 in these categories: 10th in winning percentage (88.0), 17th in 3-points per game (8.7), 19th turnover margin (5.04), 29th in steals per game (10.7), 31 in turnovers forced (20.04), 31 in 3-point attempts per game (24.9), 36th in bench points (24.4), 43rd in scoring margin (12.8), 44th in assists per game (16.0), 44th in field goal percentage (44.9), 45th in 3-point field goal percentage (35.0) and 47th in scoring offense (74.6).
- Madelyn Bischoff ranks 14th in 3-pointers per contest in the country (2.96), 16th in total 3-pointers (71) and 17th in 3-point percentage (43.6).
Up Next:
Ball State and Toledo will face off once again this season to see who will stay atop of the Mid-American Conference standings on Saturday when the Cardinals travel to Toledo, Ohio for a 2 pm ET tipoff in John F. Savage Arena. The Cardinals won their first meeting over the Rockets 65-51 on January 21 in Worthen Arena. Saturday's contest marks the 93rd time in program history the two schools have met with Toledo leading the all-time series record, 61-31.Â
